Sarcobatus vermiculatus aka Greasewood

Sarcobatus vermiculatus, or greasewood, is a shrub that sheds its leaves. Kew places it in the family Sarcobataceae. Its native range runs from western and central Canada to Sonora, Mexico. It grows across much of the western United States. Wild sites include dry plains, slopes, and salt flats. It grows in sagebrush, dry washes, and along roadsides too. Soil in these sites is often salty or alkaline.

In gardens, the shrub reaches about 9 feet [2.7 metres]. Virginia Tech gives an upper height of 10 feet [3 metres]. Spines and thick, fleshy leaves help define its shape. White twigs have thorns at their tips. More thorns grow beneath some leaves. The bark starts white, then turns smooth and gray-brown. Leaves grow in an alternate pattern, taking turns along the stems. They are narrow and shaped like straps. Some have fine hairs. Their color ranges from yellow-green to blue-green.

Male flowers form spikes at the branch tips. These flowers are reddish-green. Female flowers grow at leaf joints, alone or in groups. Virginia Tech reports blooms from spring into early summer. Plants For A Future lists July as the bloom month. Wind moves pollen from flower to flower. Reports differ on whether plants bear one or both sexes. Plants For A Future advises growing both male and female plants for seed. The small fruit is an achene, with one seed. A thin wing, like paper, grows around it. It turns from pale green to red-brown by early fall. Plants For A Future lists September for ripe seeds.

Grow greasewood in full sun and soil that drains well. It accepts sand, loam, and clay soils. It copes with salt and soil that is strongly alkaline. Plants For A Future calls it easy to grow. That source lists USDA zones 4–8 for hardiness. It suits planted beds with these soil traits. Think about its thorny branches when you choose a planting spot. The source flags its risk of becoming a weed. It gives no local detail on this risk. The supplied evidence names no pests or diseases.

Food use records list cooked young shoots and tender twigs. People have also eaten the seeds when other food was scarce. Plants For A Future lists leaves as edible parts. It reports no known hazards, but this does not prove full safety. Folk use records list crushed leaves placed on insect bites. People used other forms for tooth pain, diarrhea, and bleeding. These records do not prove that such treatments work or are safe. People have used the strong wood for building and fuel.